Supporting students during the 10th grade entrance exam in Nghe An: Heartfelt gestures that resonate.

A strong support system for children from ethnic minority communities.

With over 1,600 students currently attending Que Phong High School – which serves as a second home for most ethnic minority students in Que Phong district – the school faces many hardships. Because their homes are tens of kilometers away from the school, many students are forced to live in rented accommodations to complete their education.

Specifically for middle school students, there are 14 schools in the area, located in disadvantaged communes, so the students have to stay in boarding facilities. Because they live far from their families and parents, when entering important exams, they need a lot of help and guidance to be able to confidently complete the subjects well. At this time, teachers are like their second parents.

Mr. Ngo Chien Thang - a teacher at Que Phong High School (on the left) - is assisting with accommodation and cooking meals for students participating in the exam. Photo: Thanh Quynh

As a Literature teacher with over 25 years of service at Que Phong High School, Mr. Ngo Chien Thang (born in 1976) is remembered with gratitude by countless generations of students in this border region. The image of him and his wife busily cooking free meals for underprivileged students far from home, or his providing free accommodation for exam candidates during their exams, has become familiar to many parents and students here.

According to Ms. Tu Thi Van, Principal of Que Phong High School, Mr. Ngo Chien Thang is a teacher with a long and distinguished teaching career, and he also actively supports students. Taking advantage of his family's rented rooms, which are often empty during the summer, he provides free accommodation for 25 to 35 students during important exams. In some cases, students forget their documents or oversleep and miss their exams; he promptly checks their schedules and uses his personal vehicle to help them arrive on time.

Mr. Ngo Chien Thang (left) and other leaders of the Que Phong District People's Committee visit and encourage the volunteer teams that supported the recent 10th grade entrance exam. Photo: Provided by the interviewee.

Along with Mr. Thang, Ms. Tran Hoai Thuong (born in 1989) – Secretary of the Youth Union of Que Phong High School – is also a shining example in leading student and teacher branches to carry out many effective volunteer activities. During the recent 10th grade entrance exam, Ms. Tran Hoai Thuong established a rapid response team consisting of outstanding Youth Union members and young teachers in the school to provide timely support to students.

This support began when the Provincial People's Committee issued the plan for admission to grade 10. She and her colleagues in the school's Youth Union accessed necessary information to convey new regulations and experiences, helping students feel confident and relaxed before the exam. Simultaneously, during the exam period, she and the Youth Union's rapid response volunteer team provided assistance in emergency situations such as students forgetting exam documents, being late for the exam, and other related procedures.

Teacher Tran Hoai Thuong (born in 1989) – Secretary of the Youth Union of Que Phong High School (center of the photo) is a shining example in the annual volunteer campaign to support students during exam season in Que Phong district. Photo: Provided by the interviewee.

As an outstanding teacher at the provincial level, and with many contributions to the school's Youth Union movement, she was honored to receive Certificates of Merit from the Central Youth Union in the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 school years for her excellent achievements in Youth Union work; a Certificate of Merit from the Central Youth Union for the Red Phoenix Flower Campaign 2021; and many Certificates of Merit from the Provincial Youth Union, and commendations from the Department of Education and Training and Que Phong district.

“The teaching profession is truly fulfilling when the students are happy. Especially when many of my students come from disadvantaged backgrounds and lack family affection, the desire to compensate for that is even greater. Therefore, when I took on the role of Secretary of the School Youth Union, I always tried my best to support them and create an environment where they could showcase their abilities and be confident in themselves.”

Teacher Tran Hoai Thuong - Teacher at Que Phong High School

Teacher 4.0

With a Fanpage boasting over 4,000 members and a TikTok channel with tens of thousands of views, Mr. Nguyen Van Ngoc (born in 1984), a Literature teacher at Tay Hieu High School (Thai Hoa town), has effectively utilized social media to enhance the effectiveness of his communication with students. In particular, he has focused on...Entrance exam for 10th gradeRecently, these have been effective communication channels for teachers to promptly understand the thoughts and aspirations of students and to share valuable experiences during the exam preparation process.

Mr. Nguyen Van Ngoc - Secretary of the Youth Union of Tay Hieu High School (Thai Hoa town) - provides support to students during the entrance exam for 10th grade in the 2022-2023 school year. Photo: Provided by the interviewee.

Being both a teacher and the Secretary of the School Youth Union in charge of 28 branches (including 27 student branches and 1 teacher branch), he considers this an advantage that allows him to be closer to his students. At the same time, it enables him to leverage the energy and youthfulness of the students to embrace new methods of information dissemination in the 4.0 era.

The teacher stated: “Previously, schools were the sole source of knowledge, and teachers were the only ones who imparted knowledge to students. Therefore, the teacher's role was to transfer knowledge. However, nowadays, knowledge is everywhere, and students can access information through many different channels. The methods of accessing information have therefore become more diverse and varied. Especially with the explosion of the 4.0 scientific and technological revolution, the role of the teacher has undergone many changes.”

"If a teacher's role is simply to provide knowledge, then the teacher is just like a talking textbook. Therefore, to become an effective 'bridge' between students and the knowledge they need to master, teachers must innovate their teaching methods and ways of thinking to connect with students. Thus, when establishing these communication channels, I hope to create a solid foundation so that students can access the necessary knowledge and skills before entering important exams."

Mr. Nguyen Van Ngoc - Secretary of the Youth Union of Tay Hieu High School (Thai Hoa town)

Teacher Nguyen Van Ngoc, along with teachers and outstanding student union members from Tay Hieu High School (Thai Hoa town), presented gifts to support underprivileged students striving for academic excellence. Photo: Thanh Quynh

Aware that learning should not be solely for the purpose of passing exams or understanding, but rather for living and knowing, the teacher always encourages students to participate in volunteer activities. For example, to support the recent entrance exam, he formed a volunteer team of 60 outstanding student union members and young teachers from the school to paint banners and slogans, clean exam rooms and the school grounds. They also coordinated with traffic police to guide traffic flow and reduce congestion at exam sites and surrounding areas. Some candidates who arrived late received timely assistance from the volunteers, helping them to stabilize their emotions before the exam. This practical contribution and timely support played a crucial role in ensuring the exam was conducted safely and seriously, and motivated candidates to perform their best.

Representatives from the Provincial Youth Union visited and encouraged the teams supporting the 10th grade entrance exam for the 2022-2023 school year. Photo: Thanh Quynh

Looking across the entire province, Comrade Nguyen Ngoc Chau – Head of the Youth and School Affairs Department of the Nghe An Provincial Youth Union – stated: Entering the 2022-2023 10th grade entrance exam period, the youth of Nghe An have formed 121 volunteer teams to support the exam season. Each team includes teachers from various schools. This enthusiastic participation has significantly contributed to supporting candidates and their parents during the exam. At the same time, it enhances the image of teachers in the hearts of students, giving them greater confidence before embarking on a new chapter of their lives.